World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development WWJMRD 2017; 3(12): 409-419 www.wwjmrd.com International Journal Peer Reviewed Journal Fundamental Linguistic Information on English, Igala Refereed Journal Indexed Journal and Hausa Languages UGC Approved Journal Impact Factor MJIF: 4.25 e-ISSN: 2454-6615 Unubi, Sunday Abraham, Yusuf, Sadiya Unubi, Sunday Abraham Abstract Department of Igala Language This paper explores the fundamental linguistic information on English, Igala and Hausa languages. and Culture, School of As it is often said, information is power. The fundamental information on these languages as Languages, Kogi State College of Education, P. M. B. 1033 provided by the researchers here includes how their names came to be, their locations and Ankpa, Nigeria ethnographies, their genetic and typological classifications as well as their sociolinguistic profiles and dialectal issues. Of course, this typological and philological linguistic information is highly necessary Yusuf, Sadiya for linguists and language enthusiasts as it brings to their fingertips in just a single article such Department of Hausa information that is basic for any kind of study in these languages under focus here and other Language, School of languages of the world. Languages, Kogi State College of Education, P. M. B. 1033 Keywords: English, Igala and Hausa. Ankpa, Nigeria Introduction At any level of linguistic study (whether phonology, morphology, syntax, pragmatics or sociolinguistics) of any language, supplying the basic or fundamental linguistic information about such language is of utmost importance, and should be the usual practice. This is because such language did not just fall from the sky. It actually belongs to a particular branch of the tree of family of languages typologically. And besides, such linguistic information provides a window through which that language is viewed by the linguist. In other words, by such information, the linguist is equipped with vital firsthand knowledge about that language. It is like tracing the route of something, which takes one to the destination of that thing, and thereby leading one to know all that is needed (both good and bad) about that thing at last. ENGLISH: Name, Location and Ethnography Obviously, the name ‗English‘ is related to ‗England‘, and English was spoken first in England about 1,500 years ago. However, it was in existence before then. Geographically, the English language was confined to ‗the British Isles‘, a group of Islands lying off the north-west coast of the continent of Europe in the northern temperate zone of the world. Furthermore, there are two main islands, namely Britain, the larger of the two, and Ireland, the smaller. Politically too, the British Isles today also comprises two main parts, namely the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, made up of England, Wales, Scotland (i.e. Britain), and Northern Ireland, with its capital at London; and the Republic of Ireland, with its capital at Dublin. Associated with the British were the Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes. The Celts were the first inhabitants of the British Isles about 500 and 100 BC. The age in which they existed is called ‗The Iron Age‘. Having spread through central and Western Europe, they arrived in south-eastern England. They did not speak English, but their languages belonged to the Indo-European family of languages, to Correspondence: which English also belongs. The Romans were a succession of peoples of the Ancient World Unubi, Sunday Abraham who invaded Britain from the Middle East around the Mediterranean in the period of 3000 Department of Igala Language BC – 500 AD (3,500 years). They developed a literate civilisation based on agriculture and and Culture, School of slave labour, and through military prowess brought other peoples under their control. The Languages, Kogi State College of Education, P. M. B. 1033 Roman Empire with Latin as its language and its capital at Rome in Italy, was the most Ankpa, Nigeria extensive of all, and with the conquest of Britain, it reached almost its fullest extent. ~ 409 ~ World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development By the end of the fifth century AD, the Roman Empire in such as birth, marriage and death. According to them, for Western Europe had disappeared and had been replaced by example, women are not likely to travel alone to represent ‗barbarian‘ kingdoms. The Anglo-Saxon invaders arrived their families at an event such as burial, and that if they in Britain in large numbers with the intention of settling, wish to attend, they will accompany their husbands. when with the Roman withdrawal, the native British were left to fend for themselves. The Anglo-Saxons were chiefly Genetic and Typological Classification interested in the fertile eastern and southern parts of According to Wilton (2001:1), the English language Britain, which were also closest to their homeland in belongs to the West Germanic branch of the Indo-European Germany. They set up a number of kingdoms which family of languages. This broad family includes most of the included: Kent, Sussex, Essex, Wessex, Northumbria, East European languages spoken today. The Indo-European Anglia, and Mercia. The whole area occupied by the family includes several major branches, as follows: Anglo-Saxons later came to be referred to as ‗Angla-land‘ Latin and the modern Romance languages; (‗the land of the Angles‘, the Angles being more in number The Germanic languages; than the Saxons), and from this word, ‗England‘ is clearly The Indo-Iranian languages, including Hindi and derived. Finally, the Danes were warlike, heathen and Sanskrit; Norwegian beings from Scandinavia, popularly known as The Slavic languages; Vikings, who attacked the British Isles or England around The Baltic languages of Latvian and Lithuanian; 800. They descended on the English coast and penetrated The Celtic languages; and far inland, plundering and burning. Later in the ninth Greek century the Danes finally came to England to settle, especially in the eastern parts of the country after the The influence of the original Indo-European language, Anglo-Saxon kingdoms had virtually disappeared (Jowitt, designated proto-Indo-European can be seen today, even 2009:1-10). though no written record of it exists. The word father, for Culturally, English is known for folk tradition. Its folklore example, is vater in German, pater in Latin, and pitir in is the folk tradition that has evolved in England over the Sanskrit. These words are all cognates, similar words in centuries which abounds in England in all forms, from the different languages that share the same root. semi-historical to Robin Hood tales to contemporary urban The English language has its origin in north-western myths, and aspects of cryptozoology such as the Beast of Germany, from where it was brought to England by the Bodmin Moor. Examples of surviving English folk Anglo-Saxons. At the time this happened, approximately traditions include the Morris Dance and related practices 1,500 – 1,600 years ago, English was very different from such as the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance and the Mummers what it is today, in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Play. Religiously, Christianity became the most practised This difference is indicated by the use of the expression religion in Britain centuries ago. However, polytheistic ‗Old English‘ (or, sometimes, ‗Anglo-Saxon‘) to refer to religions or paganism were practised before Christianity the earlier form of the language. Since then, Old English took hold. These religions include Celtic polytheism, Norse has evolved into the language of today. This evolution is paganism, Roman polytheism, and others. Some were regarded generally as falling into three main stages or introduced by the Anglo-Saxons, who had their origins in periods, as follows: ancient Germanic tribes. Christianity was first introduced Old English: 500 to about 1100 AD through the Romans. Legend links the introduction of Middle English: about 1100 – 1500 AD Christianity to England to the Glastonbury legend of Joseph Modern English: 1500 – present day. of Arimathea. Also, Matras, as cited by Edden and Hughes Below is a family tree of Indo-European languages clearly et al (2011:8) report that in British society, especially the showing the position of English: Roman community of Gorton and Manchester, gender differences are highlighted through religious ceremonies Fig.1: The place of English in the Indo-European Language family (Culled from Finch (200:4) ~ 410 ~ World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development Sociolinguistic Profile and Dialect Situation IGALA: Name, Location, Demography and Sociolinguistics is concerned with investigating the Ethnography relationships between language and society the goal being a Igala is the name of the people as well as their language. better understanding of the structure of language and of 'Abo Igala' meaning the Igala people is the term the people how languages function in communication; the equivalent use to call themselves. The name ‗Igala‘ is believed to have goal in the sociology of language is trying to discover how been derived from two traditional sources. One tradition social structure can be better understood through the study says the name ‗Igala‘ is a fusion of two nouns forming a of language, e.g., how certain linguistic features serve to compound: ‗Iga‘ means a sheepfold or a pen; while ‗ala‘ characterise particular social arrangements (Wardhaugh, means sheep. Due to vowel elision, the two words (iga+ala) 2010:12). There is a great deal of relationship between the have now become IGALA. According to this tradition, the English language both in British society and other societies first settlers in the land (Igalaland) called the ‗Iga-ala-mela‘ around the world. In other words, there are dialectically meaning nine sheepfolds or pens, considered themselves as different varieties of English which vary from one society God‘s flock who were going about in search of greener to another.